Year 1: In front and behind
Part of the Year 1 position and direction chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
In front and behind
Some things sit in front of other things. Other things sit behind. In a picture, the shape that covers part of another shape is in front of it. The shape that is covered is behind.
In this picture the cube covers the star, so the cube is in front. The ball is further back, so it is behind the star.
Key ideas
- In front means nearer to you, or on top of another shape in a picture.
- Behind means further back, or covered by another shape.
- The shape at the back is covered by the others.
Method. The shape at the front covers the others. The shape at the back is covered by the others.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that covers the others.back: apple, front: star
- Pick the shape at the front. The front shape is the one on top.front: star
- Write the answer. star
Check. Every other shape is behind star. ✓
Watch out. The shape at the front covers the others. It is not the shape that looks biggest.
Method. The shape that covers another shape is in front of it.
- Find the heart. Look for it in the picture.heart is shape 2 counting from the back
- Look at the shape in front of it. The shape that covers the other one is in front.in front of heart: ball
- Write the answer. ball
Check. The heart is behind the ball. ✓
Watch out. Look at which shape covers the other. Do not choose the shape that is higher on the page.
Method. The shape that covers another shape is in front of it.
- Find the apple. Look for it in the picture.apple is shape 2 counting from the back
- Look at the shape behind it. The shape that covers the other one is in front.behind apple: star
- Write the answer. star
Check. The apple is in front of the star. ✓
Watch out. Look at which shape covers the other. Do not choose the shape that is higher on the page.
Watch out
Watch out: the shape that is higher up on the page is not always behind. Look at which shape covers the other one.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Put one toy in front of another on the table, so it hides part of it. Ask: “Which one is in front? Which one is behind? Is the cup in front of the book?”
Exercise 11C In front and behind
Non-calculatorMethod. The shape at the front covers the others. The shape at the back is covered by the others.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that covers the others.back: ball, front: apple
- Pick the shape at the front. The front shape is the one on top.front: apple
- Write the answer. apple
Check. Every other shape is behind apple. ✓
Watch out. The shape at the front covers the others. It is not the shape that looks biggest.
Method. The shape at the front covers the others. The shape at the back is covered by the others.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that covers the others.back: star, front: cube
- Pick the shape at the back. The front shape is the one on top.back: star
- Write the answer. star
Check. Every other shape is in front of star. ✓
Watch out. The shape at the front covers the others. It is not the shape that looks biggest.
Method. The shape that covers another shape is in front of it.
- Find the star. Look for it in the picture.star is shape 2 counting from the back
- Look at the shape in front of it. The shape that covers the other one is in front.in front of star: ball
- Write the answer. ball
Check. The star is behind the ball. ✓
Watch out. Look at which shape covers the other. Do not choose the shape that is higher on the page.
Method. The shape that covers another shape is in front of it.
- Find the apple. Look for it in the picture.apple is shape 2 counting from the back
- Look at the shape in front of it. The shape that covers the other one is in front.in front of apple: cube
- Write the answer. cube
Check. The apple is behind the cube. ✓
Watch out. Look at which shape covers the other. Do not choose the shape that is higher on the page.
Method. The shape that covers another shape is in front of it.
- Find the heart. Look for it in the picture.heart is shape 2 counting from the back
- Look at the shape in front of it. The shape that covers the other one is in front.in front of heart: cube
- Write the answer. cube
Check. The heart is behind the cube. ✓
Watch out. Look at which shape covers the other. Do not choose the shape that is higher on the page.
Method. The shape that covers another shape is in front of it.
- Find the heart. Look for it in the picture.heart is shape 2 counting from the back
- Look at the shape behind it. The shape that covers the other one is in front.behind heart: apple
- Write the answer. apple
Check. The heart is in front of the apple. ✓
Watch out. Look at which shape covers the other. Do not choose the shape that is higher on the page.
Method. The shape with the bigger number, counting from the back, is further forward.
- Find the cube and the ball. Look at which one covers the other.cube: shape 2, ball: shape 1
- Compare the numbers. The bigger number is further forward.2 > 1
- Write the answer. The cube is in front the ball.
Check. Say it the other way: the ball is behind the cube. ✓
Watch out. Look at the picture to see which shape covers the other one.
Method. The shape at the front covers the others. The shape at the back is covered by the others.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that covers the others.back: heart, front: ball
- Pick the shape at the front. The front shape is the one on top.front: ball
- Write the answer. ball
Check. Every other shape is behind ball. ✓
Watch out. The shape at the front covers the others. It is not the shape that looks biggest.
Method. The shape at the front covers the others. The shape at the back is covered by the others.
- Look at the picture. Find the shape that covers the others.back: heart, front: ball
- Pick the shape at the back. The front shape is the one on top.back: heart
- Write the answer. heart
Check. Every other shape is in front of heart. ✓
Watch out. The shape at the front covers the others. It is not the shape that looks biggest.
Method. With three shapes, the middle one has one shape behind it and one shape in front of it.
- Count the shapes from the back. The back shape is first, the front shape is last.heart, star, ball
- Find the shape in the middle. It is the second shape from the back.middle: star
- Write the answer. star
Check. The heart is behind it and the ball is in front of it. ✓
Watch out. Count from the back. The middle shape is the second one.
Method. The shape with the bigger number, counting from the back, is further forward.
- Find the star and the cube. Look at which one covers the other.star: shape 1, cube: shape 2
- Compare the numbers. The bigger number is further forward.1 < 2
- Write the answer. The star is behind the cube.
Check. Say it the other way: the cube is in front the star. ✓
Watch out. Look at the picture to see which shape covers the other one.
Method. Find the cube and the star. Then see which one covers the other.
- Find the cube and the star. Look at the picture.cube: at the back, star: at the front
- See which one is in front. The star covers the others, so it is in front.The star is in front
- Decide who is right. The cube is behind the star, so Ravi is wrong.No. The star is in front of the cube.
Check. Say it the other way: the cube is behind the star. ✓
Watch out. The shape at the front covers the others. Check which one is on top.
Method. Look at which shape covers the other one.
- Find the apple and the cube. Look at the picture.apple: at the back, cube: at the front
- See which one covers the other. The cube is on top, so it is in front.The cube is in front
- Decide if it is true. The apple is behind the cube, so the statement is false.No. The cube is in front of the apple.
Check. If the apple were in front, it would cover the cube. It does not. ✓
Watch out. The shape that covers the other is in front. Look at the picture again.